Heirs to get Rs 2m each

RAWALPINDI - The Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif has announced Rs two million each for the heirs of martyred rescue workers, who martyred during rescue operation in the fire, gutted Ghakhar Plaza. Rs 0.5 million for the heirs of civilian people who lost their precious lives while Rs 50,000 will be provided to the wounded people. This was stated by provincial Minister for Excise & Taxation Mujtaba Shujah ur Rehman while talking to media men during his visit to the fire gutted Ghakhar Plaza building here on Sunday. Besides other MNA Haji Pevez Khan, MPAs Ch. Sarfraz Afzal, Mailk Iftikhar, Relief Commissioner Punjab Ikhlaq Ahmed Tarar, Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Hasib Athar, DCO Imdadullah Bosal, AIG Rawalpindi range Nasir Khan Durrani and Chief Traffic Officer Raja Asif were also present on the occasion. APP adds: The Minister said that Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif has expressed his deep grief and sorrow over this tragic incident and sympathies with the victim's families. He said that a special investigating committee led by him, has been constituted to assess the volume of losses, determined the actual cause of fire outbreak and matters relating to compensation to the heirs of the victims of this Ghakhar Plaza tragedy. He said MNA Haji Pervez Khan, MPA Shahryar Riaz, representatives of traders in the cantonment are the members of the committee which will submit its report to the Chief Minister withid seven days. The Minister said initial report has been submitted to the Chief Minister while the final report in this regard will be submitted by next Monday, he added. The Minister said some eleven dead bodies have been retrieved so far from the rubble of the fire gutted collapsed portion of Ghakhar Plaza building, saying 7 persons were still missing while 63 sustained injuries in this catastrophe. The Minister for Excise & Taxation said Rescue operation in the fire gutted plaza would continued to search and rescue the missing and trapped people in the rubble as number of rescuers were believed to be trapped in the wreckage It is mentioned here that the fire was erupted in the Ghakhar Plaza located at the busiest commercial center of the city at Bank road on Saturday early morning. The building was burnt to ashes and about half portion of the fire gutted building was collapsed and several rescue workers were trapped in the wreckage on Saturday evening. The Minister told that 10 rescue workers were martyred during rescue work, he paid rich tributes to them for offering their lives for the supreme cause of humanity. Later the Provincial Minister also visited the District Headquarter Hospital (DHQ) and Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Hospital (BBH) the Medical Superintendent, MS DHQ Hospital Malik Iqbal briefed the Minister about care and treatment provided to the wounded persons saying 20 injured were brought to the DHQ, 15 discharged after giving necessary treatment while 5 were still under treatment in the hospital. Markets, shops and shopping plazas in the Saddar area remained closed on Sunday.